T&T teen shot dead by relative

(Trinidad Express) A 16-year-old boy was shot dead by a relative in Barataria on Friday.

Police reports said Josiah Martinez was at home along Upper Seventh Avenue, Barataria, when he got into an altercation with a 59-year-old relative.

The altercation became physical and it was said the older man got a firearm and shot the teenager.

Other relatives at the home, on hearing loud explosions, came out and were said to be horrified to see Martinez’s bullet-riddled body on the ground.

The police and emergency health services were notified and the wounded boy was taken to the Port of Spain General Hospital.

He was pronounced dead on arrival.

Relatives at the home attemp­ted to detain the suspect who shot Martinez, but it was said he overpowered them and escaped.

A search was launched in the division under the supervision of Snr Sup Sagramsingh, but up to last night the re­la­- tive had not been found.

When the Sunday Express visited the area yesterday, relatives said they were “too distraught” to speak.

Neighbours said they were shocked over the incident.

They said the suspect was a kind and caring man who loved children.

However, they also alleged he and Martinez had recently got into a fight in which the teen “beat up” the suspect.

The murder toll for the year so far stands at 447.